Does Zumba really burn 750 Calories an hour?

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reader2908
reader2908 Posts: 10 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi,
I have been playing Zumba Core on my Kinect XBox for a few days now and while I sweat a lot, the game says it burns 850+ calories. On this forum Zumba appears to be burning 750 calories an hour. It seems too good to be true.. I am still waiting for my HRM to be shipped to me and in the meanwhile wanted to check with this group if this is really a fact.

Replies

  • Junebuggyzy
    Junebuggyzy Posts: 345 Member
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    My teacher said she tried a monitor a couple of times, and she does burn that much. But she literally flies across the room. I estimate I burn about 500.
  • SashaJaneJ
    SashaJaneJ Posts: 92 Member
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    You need to buy an "HRM." It is a Heart Rate Monitor. It tells you how many calories you burn during a workout.
  • carolinaem
    carolinaem Posts: 58 Member
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    It would depend on your instructor and how hard you push yourself, but it seems unlikely. I have an HRM and burn around 300 in an hour long zumba class. Compared to circuit training style classes where I burn between 500-600 consistently. I love my HRM, I recommend getting one.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
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    More like 1200
  • zilkah
    zilkah Posts: 207 Member
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    I use the zumba calculator here because I don't have an HRM http://caloriesburnedhq.com/zumba-calories-burned/

    I will say it is super super dependent on how hard you get into the workout though. Zumba is realistically my only form of exercise right now that's planned, but when I go I try HARD. Every hip motion is tight, every song that has jumps I am jumping. There are people in the class that kind of half *kitten* it and you absolutely will not burn the full amount of calories that way. If you're putting tons of effort in though it's A LOT burned
  • ExRelaySprinter
    ExRelaySprinter Posts: 874 Member
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    Ignore that,...i just used the calculator.
  • Rosieposiepetal
    Rosieposiepetal Posts: 20 Member
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    I burn about 400 calories an hour and I go for it. x
  • aethre
    aethre Posts: 150 Member
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    If you do classes it's really going to depend on the instructor as well, to be fair. Some instructors are a lot more energetic than others, if you have an instructor who incorporates more slower tracks into the class then you're going to burn less calories than a class led by a firecracker, no matter how much you put into it. *shrug*
  • afortunatedragon
    afortunatedragon Posts: 329 Member
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    Between 400 and 500 normally.
    But everybody is different. An HRM would tell you more accurately
  • G8rRay
    G8rRay Posts: 89 Member
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    I'm a little incredulous of those numbers!

    750 kcal/hour = 1.1 hp (horsepower)
    850 kcal/hour = 1.3 hp

    Can people generate that much power for 60 minutes?
  • reader2908
    reader2908 Posts: 10 Member
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    Thanks everyone for the replies. While i am still waiting from my polar HRM to be shipped I think 350-450 cal per hour seems to make the most sense.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    I have been playing Zumba Core on my Kinect XBox for a few days now and while I sweat a lot, the game says it burns 850+ calories. On this forum Zumba appears to be burning 750 calories an hour. It seems too good to be true..

    It is. Cut the numbers in half, if you are fit (meaning you can run 5km in 30 minutes or less). Otherwise, cut the numbers by two-thirds.

    And HRMs are an over-estimating disaster with that kind of workout.
  • TiberiusClaudis
    TiberiusClaudis Posts: 423 Member
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    My wife is a Z instructor...so naturally she drags my butt to 4 sessions a week. :tongue:

    There is only two guys in the class of 30 (or more) ladies. Both of us guys wear polar watches...and both of us burn between 600-900 calories a session. Usually in the 800 range.

    Its a great way to burn calories..and if you can maintain a calorie restricted diet, you will do great.

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